


A Heart to Heart

by StariWolfe



Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Romantic Fluff, braham is only there for a bit but he's still there, it felt really good to write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 19:18:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18900976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StariWolfe/pseuds/StariWolfe
Summary: The commander and her best friend have a very important and overdue discussion.





	A Heart to Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Remember how I said that the tournament story wasn't the canon way these two got together? Yeah, this is the canon way these two get together. Once again, character images are at https://nocte-argentea.tumblr.com/characters, hope you enjoy!

They’d finally done it. 

Kralkatorrik was defeated, Aurene took his place as an Elder Dragon, and, for now at least, all was right with the world.

That meant a giant weight was finally off of Commander Vesper’s shoulder.

She’d been devastated by the events that occurred at Thunderhead Peaks. She’d gone to grieve alone after what happened; she stayed in Bitterfrost Frontier within the cave in the Bitter Cold to make sure no one found her. But now, sitting in the cabin of Sayida’s airship, that all seems like just a bad dream. Everything was okay, at least for a time.

Vesper gathered herself to get up. She’d been exhausted after what she and Aurene had gone through, so once she was safe in the airship, she’d promptly fallen asleep. Looking out the windows, she saw that the sun was beginning its descent to the horizon. How long had she been asleep? She felt like her eyes had been closed for only a few seconds between when she’d boarded and when she’d awoken.

She finally stood and walked over towards Sayida, who told her that they’d be arriving in Lion’s Arch by sundown and that the rest of her friends were out on deck. She walked onto the deck of the airship and was immediately confronted by Braham.

“You.” The commander was incredibly confused. Why did he seem mad at her?

“Wait, what did I-”

“You flew down a dragon’s throat and punched it’s heart until it died!” Oh. That’s why. She also gathered that her norn friend was extremely drunk. “Next time you do that, you bring me!”

“Sure thing, Braham. The help would be appreciated.” She had to crane her neck to look up at him. Man, she was glad they were on good terms again. She’d missed him when the guild had been fighting against Balthazaar.

“Don’t promise him that, Vesper, he’ll actually do it.” Vesper looked over to see Nocte leaning against the rails of the ship, Altair and Luna on either side of her. Nocte and Luna were holding drinks, but neither were anywhere near as drunk as Braham and Taimi were. She shot a smile at the group.

“Well, I wasn’t lying. The help would be appreciated. Remind me to tell all of you what went down in there later.” She looked further out to the deck and saw Logan, Rytlock, Caithe, and Gorrik enjoying the trip as well. She assumed everyone else was on other airships; Sayida’s could only hold so many people.

“We don’t need any more heart attacks, thank you. Lemon is already giving us even more so please don’t encourage Braham.” Nocte gestured to an airship slightly above and behind Sayida’s ship. Vesper could vaguely see Lemon trying to jump off of the deck, probably trying to glide into the sea. The only thing keeping her from achieving her goal was Kynedyr holding her back. Vesper let out a deep sigh.

“I missed these shenanigans. Here, hand me some of whatever that alcohol is. I’m gonna enjoy the breeze for a bit.”

After consuming a bit of the drink and talking with the others outside, Vesper went to the bow of the ship and leaned against the railing. Today was a good day. The world would be safe from Kralkatorrik’s rampage, and for once they didn’t have to worry about tomorrow, at least for a little while. For the first time in months, maybe even years, she felt at peace.

“Hey, Vess.”

She turned around to see that Altair had approached, smiling at her with a tankard full of what seemed to be water. She smiled back.

“Hey, Altair. How are you feeling after all of this?”

“Relieved. It’s nice to not have a sense of overwhelming dread about the future for once, isn’t it?” He offered her the tankard. “Here, want some water? We don’t want you getting too hungover.”

“Aye, I’ll take some. Though I’ve only had about half of a glass of alcohol so I think I should be fine in that regard.” She took the glass from him, drinking about half of the cold water before handing it back to Altair, who drank the rest and placed the tankard on the deck. Vesper leaned against the railing again, Altair following her lead. A comfortable silence surrounded the two, though it was periodically broken by Braham drunkenly shouting one thing or another. The commander closed her eyes, loving how the cool breeze felt on her face. She liked this. She hoped there would be more days like this in the future. She was actually able to think about the future now. That was a new experience; usually she was trying to make it from day to day. 

“Vesper, I wanted to talk to you about something, if you don’t mind.” Altair startled her out of her thoughts, speaking so softly that she almost didn’t hear him over the wind.

“Sure, mate. You can talk to me about anything. What’s on your mind?” She turned to look at him, still leaning against the rail but facing towards him now. He looked down momentarily, almost looking like he was nervous, but when he turned to talk about whatever it was he wanted to talk about, he was interrupted by shouting from a very drunk norn.

“Nocte, have I ever told you how beautiful you are? ‘Cuz you’re gorgeous!” Braham was hugging Nocte tightly, though it looked more like a vice grip from where the sylvari and human were. Nocte was as red as could be, looking highly embarrassed but not unhappy at Braham’s proclamation. 

“Braham, I appreciate it, but you’re incredibly drunk and-”

“Nuh-uh! I’ve always thought you were pretty! Will you go on a date with me, pleeeeeease?” Try as Nocte might, she couldn’t shake Braham’s grip. Vesper was trying very hard not to laugh, but she collapsed to the floor when she heard Lemon yelling from another ship at the two.

“YES BRAHAM! NOCTE IS VERY HOT AND YOU TWO SHOULD GO ON A DATE OR TEN!” From what Vesper could tell, Lemon was also very drunk and it was taking Kyn everything he had to keep his yellow girlfriend from jumping ship.

“If you really feel that way, talk to me later when you aren’t drunk, please!” Nocte was trying very hard to cover her face with her hands, but with Braham’s iron grip it was difficult. She finally managed to free herself and push Braham into the cabin, saying something about making him sleep it off.

Altair had been laughing at the display too, lying next to Vesper while trying to get his giggles under control. He finally calmed himself and stood, offering the commander his hand to help her up. Once she was upright, he looked back at her face.

“Maybe the airship isn’t the best place to discuss this. I’d rather this be a...private conversation.” Vesper tilted her head at that. “Once we land in Lion’s Arch, could you meet me behind the lighthouse? The side with the cannons?”

“Aye, I can do that. I’ll get there as quick as I can, but I don’t know if people will want to talk to me or not.”

“That’s fine. I’ll probably run a couple of errands first, anyway. With that, I’ll bid you farewell until tonight, then.” He winked at her and made his way back towards the cabin.

Vesper returned her gaze to the horizon. What would be so important that he’d want it to be private? Unless...she blushed. She wasn’t incredibly dense; she knew what that would mean in any of her romance novels. Not only that, she and Altair have had several moments that nearly became very intimate, very quickly. She didn’t want to get her hopes up too high, but she wasn’t blind. 

She was startled out of her thoughts yet again when Nocte walked up to her and leaned against the rail, looking more exhausted than Vesper was when she left the Crystal Dragon.

“Did you finally get Braham to sleep, mate?” Vesper asked with a smile. 

“I did, finally. What in Raven’s name came over him? I know he’s drunk, but this was an entirely new level.” The norn’s gaze was fixated on the horizon, too. Vesper couldn’t blame her though, the sunset was beautiful.

“I’m not very surprised. At least not by his words; you ARE the most beautiful woman in this guild.” Nocte grew tomato red at that. The commander knew that Nocte wasn’t used to compliments like this, and she thought it was incredibly fun to fluster her.

“You realize that I could quite easily throw you off of this airship, right?”

“I’m aware, but I’m being honest. And I’m not the only one who thinks so, if what I’ve seen from...others proves anything.” She’d seen how Braham acts around Nocte. He was always the first to offer his help when she needed it, and he always wanted to be in Nocte’s group if they split up.

“What do you mean? If you’re talking about Braham, he’s drunk. You know how some norn get when they’re drunk.” Wow. Nocte was really in denial, wasn’t she?

“Maybe so, but I’ve seen how he looks at you when you aren’t looking, Nocte. Not only that, he’s always the first to offer you help and he clearly cares about you. His intoxication has only removed his filters, he was being honest.”

Nocte didn’t speak, but her eyes were wide open. Vesper knew she wasn’t blind, but the norn had experienced some...not great times with men before. Plus, when Braham had fought with Vesper, Nocte had been incredibly hurt, and had to choose where her loyalties lie. The commander knew they had made up, but it probably wasn’t helping with Nocte’s feelings. But it seemed she was finally getting through to the norn.

“Nocte, he loves you. It’s fine if you don’t feel the same, but if he remembers what happened once he wakes up, I’d talk to him about it. You need to discuss it whether you feel the same or not.” Nocte didn’t move her gaze from the sea, but after a moment she sighed and hung her head.

“I know you’re right, but you’re an absolute hypocrite, you know that?” She turned and looked at her shorter friend. “I’ll talk to Braham, but you need to talk to Altair. The sexual tension between you two is so thick, I could cut it with a knife.”

“He actually asked for me to talk to him tonight. Didn’t say what it was about, though. Could be anything.” The commander looked towards the horizon one more time. “...But, I’ll be honest. I’m hopeful.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Vesper. Anyway, we’ll be in Lion’s Arch soon. I’d get ready to disembark if I were you.” The norn walked off to the cabin, leaving the commander alone on the deck. She decided to take her friend’s advice, but since she didn’t have much in the way of physical things to take off, she decided to think about what to say to Altair, should it be necessary.

 

Soon enough, the airships docked at the Lion’s Arch aerodrome, and the passengers all left the building. The news of Kralkatorrik’s defeat had quickly spread, and celebration preparations were in full swing. From what Vesper heard, there was going to be food, vendors, drinks, and, her personal favorite, fireworks. She wasn’t able to make it to the lighthouse immediately, unfortunately. As soon as she walked into Fort Marriner, she was surrounded by people asking questions, wanting autographs, and a plethora of other queries. Thankfully, Nocte and Luna helped her answer questions and make her way out of the crowd. As soon as she was out of their sight, she stealthed herself and made her way to the lighthouse.

By the time she made it to the path to the lighthouse, it was well past sundown and the stars were beginning to shine. Vesper couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. She wasn’t good at talking about her feelings, and even then, she wasn’t even sure that Altair wanted to talk about that. She dearly hoped that whatever he wanted to talk about was an easy topic.

She finally arrived behind the lighthouse. People rarely came back to this area, unless the city was under attack. It seemed that Altair hadn’t arrived yet; she was alone at present. She removed her stealth and walked to the edge of the pavement, sitting down and letting her legs hang over the edge. The stars were shining brilliantly; she wondered if the sky itself realized that it was safe now. She leaned up against one of the cannons, feeling a bit tired after all of the questions and people. As charismatic as she could be, she was still an introvert at heart, and being around so many people in so little time was exhausting. She removed her eyepatch, figuring the only one who would see her for while would be Altair, so she felt safe enough to be without for a bit.

“You’re here early.”

Vesper turned and saw that Altair had arrived holding two bags, though she couldn’t tell what was in them. She smiled and stood up to greet him, though she stumbled a bit while walking towards him. Apparently she was more tired than she thought.

“Aye, I’m just as surprised as you are. I thought I’d never get out of the crowd that found me on the way out of the aerodrome. I’d be much later if it wasn’t for Nocte and Luna.”

“Well, remind me to thank them later. I’m sorry to interrupt your lovely voice, but I figured you hadn’t had time to eat, so I got the two of us some food and drinks that they’d set up for the celebration.” He handed her one of the bags, which had a few different types of food in it, looking absolutely delicious. 

“You know me so well, mate. Here, let’s take a seat and eat. I’m starving.” As they ate, the two conversed about a few various topics, mainly about Nocte and Braham. Vesper told the sylvari about the conversation that she’d had with Nocte, and the two agreed that they hoped something would happen between them now.

They’d finished their small feast, and the two were watching the sky in a comfortable silence, just listening to the waves and the sounds of the town preparing to party. Vesper appreciated how cool the stone felt against her; it had been very hot in Dragonfall, and Lion’s Arch was fairly warm, too. Before she could think much more about that, Altair spoke.

“So. I’d like to talk to you about something rather important.”

Vesper’s pulse quickened a bit. Oh boy, here they go.

“Aye, you mentioned that. What’s on your mind, mate?”

He went quiet for a moment, looking at their reflections in the water. She turned towards him, and heard him take a deep breath before continuing. Was he nervous?

“Well, you and I have known each other for a long time now, yeah?”

“Yeah, about seven years or so? We met when that mesmer tricked you into firing on Pact troops, back in the Orrian campaign.” She turned her gaze to the water. “That seems so long ago, now.”

“It does, doesn’t it? It seems like an eternity since I saw you running to catch up to me in Fireheart Rise.” He looked up to the stars, leaning back on his hands. “I was so discouraged that I’d messed up the first major mission that Trahearne gave me. Imagine my surprise when I heard yelling behind me, calling my name and asking me to slow down, and there you were. The newly appointed commander, offering her help to try and solve this mission. I was...so thankful.”

Vesper stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. She remembered that day very well. She and Trahearne had thought the situation strange. She remembered how highly Trahearne spoke of Altair; he still speaks highly of him to this day. It didn’t make sense for someone who he so highly regarded to make a mistake like that, so she traversed to Fireheart Rise to assist in the mystery. Altair closed his eyes, his glow accentuating his features, before continuing.

“I was still thankful when he assigned me to be your lieutenant. I knew you and I worked together well, so I thought we’d be a great team, and we were. You and I stood side by side when you felled Zhaitan, and we worked together when Scarlet Briar was terrorizing the land. When…” He took an even deeper breath than before before finishing his thought. “...When Mordremoth was in our heads, you didn’t give up on sylvari. You didn’t give up on...me. We entered the Dream together to stop him, and barely managed to save Trahearne.”

The commander remembered that all too well, too. She wasn’t even sure how’d they saved him. All she remembered was somehow destroying the corruption and seed in his mind; everything else was a blur. He still had traces of the blight left upon him, but he was much better now, if still wilted. But where was Altair going with this?

“Then everything happened with ‘Lazarus’, and Aurene chose you, and you and Braham fought, and we defeated Caudecus and lost Demmi. And then…” He hung his head and closed his eyes. “...And then I fought with you. I thought it was silly that you let Balthazar escape simply because you’d worshipped him indirectly at one point. I stormed back to the Grove and stayed there until...until…”

Vesper knew what he was going to say next.

“Until Taimi called and told me that...that you’d died.” Pain and guilt was evident in Altair’s voice. “I was so mad at myself for not being there to help you. I thought that maybe, just maybe if I’d been there, you’d still be alive. I was beside myself with guilt that I never got the chance to apologize to you. And to learn Nocte and Aurene were missing, possibly taken by Balthazar...the shame of my actions was overwhelming.”

“Altair…” He’d never shared this part with her. He’d apologized heartily and tearfully to her, acknowledging how his actions weren’t alright, and how he was sorry that he’d nearly not been able to apologize, but he’d never told her how he was feeling when he’d just learned the news.

“I went to Lion’s Arch, intent on going to the desert to help with anything I could. Your funeral, Balthazar, finding Nocte and Aurene...and when I stepped into the city, I got another call from Taimi.” He returned his eyes to the skies above them. “She said you were alive. She didn’t know how, she said the others had checked your corpse and there were no signs of life, with a huge, gaping wound in your chest. But somehow, you were alive again. I was...overjoyed, to put it lightly. That’s when I made my way to the desert to find you, and I made a promise to myself.”

“Oh?” A promise? What did he promise himself? He turned to look at her, a soft smile on his face.

“I promised myself that if you forgave me for my actions, I’d never leave your side again, and help you however I could. I would not repeat my mistakes. And if you hadn’t forgiven me, I’d do what I could to indirectly help you. I finally made it to Amnoon and found you again. And you forgave me, which I honestly didn’t expect. But I was so happy.” He looked back at the water again, watching their reflections dance with the waves. Vesper waited a moment before speaking.

“I was happy that you came back. I wanted to apologize to you, and I missed you so much during the first half of that journey. When I was in the Domain of the Lost, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see you again. But I’ll tell you one thing, remembering all of our memories together was wonderful.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I was glad to be with you when we gave Balthazar what for. I still think back and laugh about when you looked back at Kralkatorrik and yelled straight at him, ‘Will you please do something useful for once?’ That moment was incredible. And we saved Nocte and Aurene. That was a good night.” 

Vesper nodded in agreement. She’d been so worried about Nocte and Aurene during their trek through the desert.

“And then we found Braham and Rox again, Rox found the Ohlmakhan, and we made Joko regret messing with us. And then we lost Blish, and then Thunderhead Keep happened.” His voice had grown solemn again. “I was so worried when you went off on your own, but I knew you needed time. I stayed near the others in the keep, trying to think of a plan or any way to help you. When you came back, and I mean no offense when I say this so forgive me, you looked like death warmed over. It broke my heart. Then Aurene was back and you went off to fight Kralk and he was pinned under the islands, and then...you did it. You defeated him, just you and Aurene. And here we are now.”

“And what a good night it is, isn’t it?”

“It is. Things are looking up, and we’ve got so much more time now. But with all of this being said, especially these things that I know I haven’t told you before, there’s something I want to tell you, and ask you.” He finally turned to look her in the eyes. Oh boy, her heart was beginning to pound a bit.

“Of course, Altair. You can tell me anything. And I can’t guarantee what my answer will be to your question, but please ask.” She returned his gaze softly, hoping he would feel more comfortable with whatever he had to say. She really hoped this conversation was going where she thought it was.

“Well, uh…” He broke their eye contact for a moment, scratching the back of his neck and looking back at the water. Vesper’s eyes widened a bit. He WAS nervous! She wondered if there was something more she could do to ease his mind. 

Slowly, she moved her hand on top of his, and gave it a small squeeze. That seemed to do the trick, though now he was blushing, his blue glow lighting up his face even more. He turned back to her.

“Well, look at who’s being flirty for once. It seems our roles have reversed, huh?” He was smiled again, though this was more of a gentle smile than a teasing smile. She returned the smile back to him.

“Maybe so, but flirting isn’t my forte. You can have that role back.” He gave a small chuckle, and connected their eyes once again.

“Vesper.” He didn’t use his nickname for her. That was rare. “During our time together, you and I have been through thick and thin, and I hope that continues for a long time. But during my time with you…” He stopped briefly, looking away and taking a deep breath one more time, “...I’ve grown fond of you. Extremely fond, if you know what I, uh, mean.”

Vesper’s eyes widened even more. She knew what that meant.

“And what I wanted to ask, was…well…you and I have had several moments where we nearly...um…”

“...Kissed.” She finished his sentence. “Among other things.”

“Y-Yes, we nearly kissed, what, seven times now?” Vesper nodded. So she wasn’t the only one keeping track. “And that led me to believe, that you may possibly...feel the same way about me that I feel about you.” He turned to face her once again. “Do you feel the same? If you don’t, that’s fine, I’m okay with being by your side as a friend, I want you to know that.”

Vesper took a moment to think. Of course she felt the same way, but…

She decided to tease him a bit.

“I think I might, but I need to make sure that we’re on the same page. What exactly do you mean by ‘fond of me?’” She said with a sly smile. He broke eye contact again and ran a hand through his leafy hair.

“Vess, do I really have to say it? I’m having enough trouble keeping my cool as it is.” It was rare that she saw Altair flustered. She decided to give him a bit of leeway.

“I mean, you don’t have to, but I’d sure like it if you did. Because then…” She looked away shyly. As much as she loved seeing him flustered, she couldn’t say this next part without heavily blushing. “...I might feel more comfortable saying it, myself.”

His eyes shot wide open at that, and he swiveled his head around to look at her. She still wasn’t looking at him, so she was surprised when she felt his hand on her cheek, gently moving her back to look at him. He had the softest look in his eyes, and his smile was incredibly endearing.

“I could say it in that case. Or…” Altair scooted closer to her, so that their sides were touching and his face was nearer. “...I could say it with my actions, if that would be alright.” His eyes darted to her lips, and back up again. “So, may I?”

Vesper felt like her heart was about to burst with love for this man. She smiled gently at him, glad that he’d asked.

“Please do.”

Altair wasted no time. In an instant his lips were on hers and she was quickly hurled into a world of euphoria.

Gods, she’d wanted this for so long, and this moment was perfect. A kiss by the sea, after a huge victory, and now the fireworks were blasting into the sky in dazzling arrays of colors. Not that Vesper was watching them closely, as her attention was completely on the man kissing her. Even though he wasn’t human, he was warm, and it felt...nice. He was being so sweet and gentle and-

Gods, this was amazing. She hoped it didn’t stop anytime soon.

Vesper placed her hands on his chest, and she felt him move his arms around her waist, pulling them as close together as they could get. She felt so safe, so loved.

Far too soon for her liking, he pulled away, opening his eyes and smiling wide. She wanted to pull him back for more, but she figured it might be better to gauge his reaction first.

“That was incredible, but I’d still like for you to say it.” She smiled teasingly. He let out a small laugh.

“Vesper, I love you. I love with all of who I am, and I’d be honored to be your lover, if you’d have me.” He didn’t even hesitate this time. She knew she was blushing, but she’d stopped caring at this point.

“I love you too, Altair. And I’d love for you to be my partner.” She gently leaned her forehead on his, simply enjoying his presence for a precious moment. She opened her eyes and gave him a playful look. “Now that wasn’t too hard, was it?”

“Careful, I’ll pin you up against the lighthouse if you tease me too much. We’ll see how much you like that.” She knew he wasn’t kidding, but she really enjoyed teasing him. And his stern tone was hard to take seriously when his eyes and smile were shining with mirth.

“You say that as if you think I’d dislike it. Besides, I rarely get to tease you. Let me enjoy it before we switch back to me being the nervous one and you being the flirty one.”

“Feel free too, but…” Before Vesper could move, he grabbed her around the waist and stood, carrying her over to the lighthouse. “I wasn’t kidding!”

She half-heartedly struggled to get away, laughing the entire time, but she knew he wouldn’t let go. After a few seconds, her back was against the lighthouse and Altair had both of her hands pinned above here. He was only using one of his hands to keep her wrists in place, and he put the other under her chin, making her look at him. He was smiling wide.

“These are the consequences for messing with me. How does it feel?” It seemed like he’d gotten comfortable enough to switch back to being flirty. She continued to try and wriggle herself free, but his grip was unyielding. She was still feeling bold, however, so she kept going.

“Very nice, actually. A kiss or two would make it even better.” That wasn’t a lie, either. She certainly didn’t mind this.

“I might could arrange that. You just have to hold still for a bit.” He pressed himself as close as he could to her. Before he could kiss her again, though, Vesper had one more thing to say.

“Hey, Altair, I have an idea.” He raised his eyebrows. “Wanna mess with our friends a bit? Don’t them we’re dating. Let’s see how long they take to figure it out.”

“I’m down for that. Plus, Canach can’t cash in that bet until he knows for certain that we’re together.”

“Indeed. I’m gonna say it’ll take them a month.” She was laughing a bit at the idea, and also the situation. They were talking about pranking the others while Altair had her pinned up against the lighthouse.

“The more observant members will take less time. I say two weeks for Nocte, Luna, Kori, and Trahearne.”

“That sounds about right, actually. Two weeks for them, then. Now that that’s out of the way...” She shyly smiled at him. “I can't help but notice that I am terribly lacking in kisses right now. I don't suppose you could rectify that, could you?”

“I'd be glad to. Try not to squirm too much, yeah?” He leaned in again. “Tell me if you want your hands free at any point.”

“I will, but for now, keep them where they are.” Before long, the two were completely engrossed in each other, unaware of the fireworks and the festivities around them. And though it wasn't spoken, both knew that they were excited to see what the future held in store for them.


End file.
